Barrette



4 Aug. 8, 1.939. L, L M N 2,168,369

BARRETTE Filed Dec). 29, 19:57

mv NTOR ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 8, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BARRETTE Nathan L. Solomon, Mount Vernon, N. Y.

Application December 29, 1937, Serial No. 182,317

8 Claims.

The present invention has to do with a hair clamping barrette adapted to straddle and grasp a tress of hair and more particularly is directed to a novel and improved hair clasp for holding a tress of hair in a set position by means of a pair of hair clamping arms adapted to be held in a closed relation by releasably controlled disconnectable locking means. Hair barrettes of the prior art and of the type alluded to and in so far 10 as I am aware have certain disadvantages in that the complementary locking means thereof during use accidentally disengage thereby causing involuntary opening of the arms and thus the clamping pressure intended to be imparted by these arms is removed from the tress. According to the invention this disadvantage is overcome in the provision of an improved and serviceable barrette having complementary disconnectably associated locking means wherein the efiective holding action thereof is increased substantially in proportion to the hair load interposed between the clamping arms of the barrette consequently preventing involuntary separation of the arms after having been applied to a tress of hair and interlocked. Therefore the invention has as one object and principally comprehends a hair clamping barrette wherein a pair of integrally associated arms define in the open relation thereof a relatively wide gapto permit the insertion of a tress of hair adapted to be clamped by the arms when brought towards each other and wherein one of the arms constitutes a keeper and includes a relatively elongated opening for receiving a depending normally biased bead having cam shaped means for frictionally but releasably cooperating or interlocking with spaced sides of the opening of the keeper whereby the arms are prevented from accidental separation and thus positively and frictionally holding said arms against the tress of hair.

The invention has as a further object the provision of an improved hair clamping barrette having complementary releasably controlled looking means in the form of a normally biased spring latch disconnectably associated with a leaf spring keeper and adapted to be displaced thereby whereby the pressure imparted to the latch by the keeper is increased in proportion to the hair load interposed between the arms of the clasp to prevent accidental separation of said arms and thereby preclude shifting of said clasp longitudinally of said hair load interposed between said arms and transversely thereof.

The invention will be best understood from a consideration of the following detailed description :side curved part I 6.

when considered in connection with the accompanying drawing with the understanding however that such drawing illustrates by way of example one possible embodiment of the invention and it is to be understood that the invention is ..5 not confined to any strict conformity with the showing of such drawing but may be changed and modified so long as such changes and modifications mark no material departure from the salient features of the invention as expressed in -10 the appended claims.

Fig. 1 shows a head of hair having a barrette according to my invention applied thereto.

Fig. Zis an exploded view in perspective of the barrette according to the invention showing the clasp thereof disassociated from its mount.

Fig. 3 is a rear View of the barrette shown in perspective and with the clamping arms thereof unlocked.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the -;-20 barrette, particularly illustrating the biased cam carrying bead and the manner of securing the bead carrying arm to the mount.

Fig. 5 is an underneath enlarged view of the barrette showing the relation of the bead in 25 respect to the keeper when the latter is brought over the bead just prior to interlocking therewith.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail view showing the biased relation of the bead in respect to the keeper after interlocking therewith and 30 Fig. '7 is a sectional View taken on the line 1'i of Fig. 6.

Illustrative of the embodiment disclosed; the hair clamping barrette B comprises a clasp ID in the form of a one piece member or metal loop 35 having spaced arms H and I2 integrally merged to a U shaped end l3. As shown clasp I0 is made of relatively thin and flat sheet metal stock having a width many times its thickness and is sufficiently flexible and possesses a certain rigid- '40 ity without requiring external support.

The upper fiat and longitudinally curved ar H is provided with a reduced portion M from which integrally depends the hollow curved bead generally denoted [5. This bead, likewise, has 45 a width many times its thickness and includes a downwardly and outwardly curved portion I6, a curved base or reflexed portion I1, and an upwardly and inwardly curved lip. l8 terminating in close proximity to the inside face of .the out- 50 The free end oi the longitudinally curved lower arm l2 constitutes a .keeper'and' embodies an elongated opening I9, the sides of which are adaptedto resiliently snap over the alternately 55 disposed outwardly projecting peripheral cams 20 and 2| forming a part of the normally biased depending bead l5 to interlock therewith to prevent accidental separation of the arms.

According to the invention clasp l 0 has its bead carrying arm I l positioned and seated within the elongated recess 23 in the ornamental mount M. This recess has its end walls 24 disposed in juxtaposition in respect to the U shaped end I3 and the bead l5 of the arm II thus preventing displacement of the latter longitudinally of the mount While the side walls 26 of recess 23 closely straddle the longitudinal sides of this arm II to prevent transverse displacement thereof in respect to the mount which embodies spaced flanges 2! adapted to be bent inwardly to extend beyond and overlap arm I l to prevent downward displacement thereof in respect to the mount.

In the open relation of the arms of the clasps as shown in Figs. 3, these arms constitute a gap to receive a tress of hair. With the tress interposed between the arms I! and I2, the arm I2 is moved towards the tress and hinges substantially along the transverse fulcrum line 28 characterized by the intersection of the reflexed portion I3 and the movable arm l2,

In moving towards the tress and the fixed arm ll, side walls 29 of opening IQ of keeper 30 ultimately strike the curved surfaces 3| of earns 20 and 2|. This action causes bead Hi to swing slightly to one side away from its normal biased or inclined relation in respect to the longitudinal axis of the fixed arm ll. Thus as shown in Fig. 5 cams 20 and 2| have been struck by sides 29 of opening [9 and consequently the longitudinal axis of bead l5 and the fixed arm coincide. Ul-

' timately however sides'29 snap pass cams 20 and 2|. This action causes bead [5 to latch or retract over to one side, that is, assume its normal biased position as shown in Fig. 6 in respect to the fixed arm and thus the cams overlap spaced portions of the keeper adjacent sides 29 as shown.

In such relation curved spaced portions of the keeper adjacent sides 29 of keeper 30 frictionally abut cam surfaces or shoulders 32 consequently the keeper and bead may be said to be disengageably interlocked.

Where the arms of the clasp are interlocked and grasping a tress of hair irrespective of the character of the load thereof, these arms may be readily detached by grasping lip 33 of the movable bowed arm l2. Thereafter finger pressure is applied to base I! of the bead and the latter may be resiliently snapped over the sides 29 of opening l9. Consequently keeper 3!) is free of the bead and arm l2 automatically swings away from the fixed arm I I. With the arms thus separated, the tress of hair may be readily withdrawn.

Since cam surfaces or shoulders 32 serve as stop means for the keeper in its interlocked relation with the bead, and since arm l2 tends to straighten out appreciably in case where a relatively heavy hair load is interposed between the arms of the clasp increased pressure is thus exerted by arm I2 against shoulders 32 in proportion to the increase of hair load and accordingly even though an appreciable hair load is interposed between the arms of the clasp accidental or involuntary separation thereof is prevented and this of course holds true although relatively light hair loads are grasped. This is an important feature of the invention.

While the invention has been described in detail and reference has been made to a specific application thereof, it is to be understood that the invention herein disclosed is not limited to such specific application and it is intended that allmatter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawing shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

1. A barrette comprising a loop having resilient arms, resilient means interconnecting said arms, said arms having disconnectible interlocking means comprising a keeper, and resilient beaded means having cam means cooperating to releasably engage said keeper.

2. A barrette comprising a loop having a pair of superimposed resilient arms, a curved portion integrally interconnecting said arms, the upper arm of said pair having a beaded depending terminal portion including cam means, the lower arm of said pair having a convex surface facing towards said upper arm and comprising a keeper having a relatively elongated opening adapted to receive said terminal portion to permit said keeper to interlock with said cam means, and hinge means for normally holding said arms widely diverged in an unlocked relation of said terminal portion and said keeper.

3. A barrette comprising a spring loop having a pair of elongated and superimposed arms adapted to form a gap to permit the insertion of hair therebetween, a curved portion integrally interconnecting said arms, the upper arm of said pair having resilient depending beaded means provided with peripheral cam means, the lower arm of said pair having a convex surface facing towards said upper arm and having a keeper provided with an elongated opening, said lower arm and curved portion constituting transverse fulcrum means to permit swinging of said lower arm relative to said upper arm, said cam means adapted to abut the sides of said opening and project into and through said opening and below the latter to permit said cam means to releasably interlock with said keeper.

4. A barrette comprising, a spring loop having longitudinally curved upper and lower arms, a curved portion interconnecting said arms, a bead depending from said upper arm, a hinged connection between said upper arm and said curved portion, said lower arm comprising a keeper having an opening defining spaced portions, said lower arm adapted to be displaced towards said upper arm whereby said cam means resiliently abuts said spaced portions and removably projects into said opening whereby said bead interlocks with said keeper, said lower arm in the interlocked relation of said bead and keeper automatically moving away from said upper arm whereby said cam means frictionally abuts said keeper to prevent accidental separation of said arms.

5. A barrette comprising, a spring loop having upper and lower arms, a curved portion interconnecting said arms, a resilient bead carried by said upper arm and comprising outwardly projecting cam means, a hinged connection between said lower arm and curved portion, said lower arm having a keeper comprising an opening for receiving said bead, said arms adapted to be normally diverged to define a gap adapted to receive a tress of hair, said hinged connection permitting said lower arm to be swung towards said upper arm whereby said cam means first strikes the sides of said opening and subsequently is disposed in frictional engagement therewith whereby said tress is frictionally grasped by said arms, said cam means adapted to be disengaged from'said keeper whereby said lower arm automatically moves away from said upper arm.

6. In a barrette, a spring loop having upper and lower longitudinally curved arms, a resilient hinge connection for holding said arms normally diverged, a bead having cam means carried by said upper arm, an abutment carried by said lower arm, said bead adapted to strike said abutment and be disposed below the latter and interlock therewith, and means for urging said lower arm away from said upper arm in the interlocked relation of said cam means and abutment.

'7. The barrette according to claim 6 characterized in that said lower arm is curved longitudinally thereof to present a convex surface adapted to be flexed upon the insertion of an with said cam means to slightly displace said bead to permit the latter to project through said keeper and interlock therewith upon automatic retraction of said bead to its normally biased position.

NATHAN L. SOLOMON. 

